PARAVOOR: The Puthanvelikara police have filed a non-bailable case against the vicar and four church committee members in the case of destroying the adornments and photos on a tomb and putting them in the pit. The case has been registered against the Vicar of St. Paul's Church in Manancherrykunn Fr Shaijan Kalathil (54), the church committee officials Job Thomas (53), James Ouso (48), Joy Ouso (52), and Shaiju Martin (51).

The disrespect was shown towards the mortal remains of Gabriel's wife Kochuthresya (71), of Kaithaparamb in Puthanvelikkara's Manancherikunn. Her son filed a complaint with the police but no action was taken. Then the police was instructed to file a case on a petition filed in the Paravoor Magistrate Court.

Kochuthresya died on January 7. She was buried on January 9th in the parish cemetery of St. Paul's Church. The grave was decorated with a cross and a photo of Little Thresya. When the relatives reached the cemetery on March 5 for the funeral rites, they found everything destroyed. The photo and ornament were left in the pit. Her husband Gabriel came to the cemetery after hearing about the incident and collapsed on seeing it. Gabriel died on April 19 while undergoing treatment at the hospital. He was buried in this cemetery.

A complaint was first filed with the Puthanvelikkara police and then with the Munambam DySP and the Chief Minister regarding the incident. As there was no action, his son Whitson filed a petition in Paravur Magistrate Court. To withdraw the complaint, the police produced threatening footage. The court then summoned the Station House Officer and asked for a report and direct a case to be registered. A case has been registered under the sections of disrespecting the dead body, trespassing and causing damage.

No role, says church

In 2011, the Parish Council decreed that gravestones should not contain anything other than flowers. Manancherikunn St. Paul's Church Parish Committee Secretary Sunil Kunnathur said that in violation of this, the decorations were installed at a height of one foot. This hindered the cremation of other bodies. The relatives of little Thresya were asked several times to remove these as they received a complaint, but to no avail. Neither the vicar nor the church committee members were involved in the destruction of the gravestone. On the night before the day of the alleged demolition, the complainant, Whitson, was caught by security personnel for jumping over the church wall and entering the cemetery. A complaint has been lodged with the Puthanvelikkara police in this regard.